Not so Charmed a Life
by Wilhelmina Vandom
Summary: It’s been a week since Paige has moved into the manor and it seems her sisters still aren’t accepting her. What happens when a stranger offers her the affection she craves and what if that stranger is the Source himself?
1. Chapter 1

Not so Charmed a Life

By Demoness Paige

Paige limped slowly behind her two sisters as they made their way inside the manor after another brutal battle with a demon. They had finally managed to vanquish him but the three had received almost as good as they gave but finally managed to come out on top. It was hard to believe it had only been a week since she moved in here with them and they had vanquished at least a dozen demons in that short amount of time. Granted most of them were weak but the last two were extremely powerful.

Her leg and side was sore but what hurt the most was her eldest sister verbally attacking her after the demon was dusted. It wasn't Paige's fault that she had trouble controlling her power and it wasn't fair to compare her to Prue like that. She hadn't had her powers for long before the demons started popping up all week and she was already exhausted when this latest one showed up.

"I'm going to take a shower and get some sleep." Piper said turning on a light while avoiding looking at Paige.

"I'm too tired to shower right now…I'm going to bed now." Phoebe mumbled as she headed to the steps also ignoring Paige.

"Night Pheebs, love you." Piper called after Phoebe.

"Love you to Piper, night." Phoebe yawned as she trudged up the steps.

"Good night Phoebe, Piper, love you." Paige said.

"Night." Piper said stiffly as she walked toward the kitchen.

Paige sniffed as she headed toward the steps and almost bumped into Leo as he came down them.

"Are you okay, Paige?" Leo asked but Paige didn't answer as she stared at the ground letting her bangs hide her eyes refusing to look up. "Do you want me to heal you?"

"Don't bother." Paige finally whispered shakily as she brushed past Leo and limped up the steps to her room. She didn't bother turning a light on as she shut her door and locked it before falling into her bed and burying her face in her pillow crying into it.

Why did they hate her so much? She loved her sisters so much, she did the moment she found out about them but all they did was push her away. Neither one has yet to say that they care, much less love her while Paige had told them both on numerous occasions that she loved them. She was beginning to think that she didn't belong there, after all they sure didn't seem to want her there other than to have their precious power of three.

"Paige, honey, can we talk?" Piper's voice came from the other side of the door as there was a gentle knock. The door handle made a noise as Piper tried to open it but it wouldn't budge since it was locked. "Paige, please open the door, we really need to talk."

"I don't feel like talking!" Paige cried, "Just leave me alone and let me get some damned sleep!"

"Fine," Piper called back after a few minutes, anger in her voice, "We will talk in the morning little Missy."

Paige buried her face deeper in her pillow half hoping that it would smother her as she cried harder into the pillow. _She really wanted to talk, didn't she? Tried to break the door down and everything!_ Paige thought sarcastically.

oOoOo

After a quick run through her morning routine since she woke up late after forgetting to set her alarm Paige followed her nose downstairs following the smell of fresh blueberry pancakes. Entering the kitchen though she noticed Piper was cleaning up the dishes from the table as Phoebe was leaving for work.

"See you later Piper, thanks for breakfast." Phoebe said.

"Bye Phoebe." Paige said though Phoebe seemed to ignore her hurting Paige.

"Any pancakes left?" Paige asked hopefully walking in behind Piper.

"Maybe if you woke your ass up earlier." Piper said dumping several dishes into the sink.

"Gee, thanks a lot." Paige mumbled turning to leave the kitchen.

"Don't you dare leave, I want to have a talk with you." Piper said harshly.

"Sorry but I don't have time to make something so I'll have to stop off at McDonald's to grab something on my way to classes." Paige said fighting back tears.

"Don't you dare walk out on me." Piper growled as Paige turned heading for the door.

"What do you care anyways?" Paige asked softly as she walked out of the manor, the first tears falling and many more following them as she made her was to her small green car. Looking back she noticed that Piper didn't even bother following.

As she drove Paige couldn't stop the flow of tears as she thought about what just happened. She was sure that deep down her sisters did care for her but after what just happened she was starting to have serious doubts. After all the only people who ever showed her any kindness were her last foster family, the Matthews and she was only with them for two months before they died. She was too afraid to get to close to them so distanced herself from them but when they died in the accident she hated herself for never telling them how much she had come to love them. In respect to them she changed her last name to Matthews so she could feel a little closer at least. They had asked her before if she wanted to but by the time she decided to it was too late and they were dead.

Skipping breakfast and classes she drove to the park so she could walk around but ended up leaning her forehead on the steering wheel and cried. She knew there was a reason her sisters hated her, they must have seen the real her. They knew how worthless she was just like everyone one else in her life. None of her foster families ever cared about her, she never had any close friends and the teachers all treated her like shit growing up. Even her freshman college professors treated her badly. Even her birth mother hated her, why else would she give her up like that? The only two people who ever loved her were lying in a grave and it was all her fault.


	2. Chapter 2

Not so Charmed a Life

By Demoness Paige

I want to thank everyone who reviewed so thanks and please keep them coming as the reviews are the fuel for my techno muse.

"Paige, honey, we really need to talk." Piper said as soon as Paige wearily made her way inside the manor. She couldn't call it home, she thought that she could when she first moved in but since then realized that she wasn't truly wanted there. The only reason they wanted her was for the power of three, they couldn't care less about her as a person much less a sister.

"Why bother?" Paige asked softly, unable to hide the hurt from her voice. Glancing up at Piper she thought that for just a brief second pain flashed in the elder girl's eyes but it quickly disappeared.

"Because something is clearly bothering you." Piper said reaching out toward Paige who just backed away slowly.

"And what do you care, you have your power of three so who gives a damn about the worthless little bitch?" Paige asked remembering what most of the foster homes referred to her as.

"Paige!" Piper gasped in shock.

"Just leave me alone Piper, I know none of you want me here." Paige cried unable to hold back the torrent of tears that were now falling. "If it wasn't for the power of three you wouldn't even have me here in your precious home."

"That's not true." Piper cried wiping her eyes.

"Bullshit, not once have you even said you cared about me! You never said you loved me! I'm nothing but half bred trash!" Paige sobbed as she orbed out and reappeared on top of the bridge. She collapsed against the wall behind her and watched out over the waters as the people below drove by unaware of the devastated girl above them.

"Happy birthday Paige." Paige whispered hoarsely, bitterness lacing her voice.

"Today is your birthday?" An unwelcome familiar voice asked softly as they sat down next to her. She didn't care any longer though, she just didn't have the energy to care.

"What do you want Leo?" Paige asked tiredly, refusing to look up at him.

"Want to talk about it?" Leo asked gently.

"What's to talk about?" Paige asked hugging her knees to herself tighter. "That for once I actually believed that every thing was going to turn out okay? That I finally had people who loved me besides the Matthews?"

"You do have people who love you Paige." Leo said squeezing her shoulder but Paige shrugged it off angrily.

"No Leo, I don't. I grew up going from one foster home to another with people who hated me, despised my very existence." Paige cried, "I know the signs by now."

"Paige, I'm sure they didn't hate you." Leo sighed, sadness clearly in his voice.

"I'm sorry, Leo." Paige snapped, "I didn't realize that beating someone and telling them how worthless they were signs of being loved. Thanks for letting me know, Leo, it makes everything oh so much better now."

"Oh Paige." Leo said pulling Paige into his arms holding her tight as she struggled against him.

"Let me go!" Paige sobbed, "Please…Please don't hurt me…Please…"

"Shhh…It's okay Paige, I'm not going to hurt you." Leo said, "I do love you, your family."

"Why do they hate me Leo?" Paige sobbed, giving up as she buried her face in his chest shaking. "They couldn't even say happy birthday. They wouldn't even tell me that they loved me last night!"

"It'll be okay." Leo whispered stroking her hair, "Maybe they just didn't know today was your birthday."

"I told them when I first moved in." Paige cried.

"I'm so sorry." Leo whispered. "You should talk to them, Paige. Let them know how you feel."

"I…I can't Leo…I can't believe I even told you anything." Paige sniffed pulling away from Leo.

"How about if I'm there while you talk to them?" Leo asked, "I know they care about you."

"Leo…" Paige sighed.

"Please, Paige." Leo begged.

"Fine." Paige sighed, she knew that it was useless trying to get out of it since Leo could just follow her anywhere she went and she doubted he would just give up. She took his hand as he orbed them back into the living room at the manor where Piper was pacing back and forth in worry.

"Where the hell have you been?" Piper asked, impossible to tell if she was angry or worried but she was scaring Paige a little as she walked closer to the younger girl.

"I-I'm sorry." Whimpered Paige backing away as fear started overtaking her. She was sure that Piper wouldn't strike her but the look on her face, it looked so much like the ones some of her old foster parents had before starting to beat her. On pure instinct she orbed away from Piper and the manor this time reforming in the park shaking in fear.

"Are you okay?" Someone asked scaring her. Spinning around she came face to face with a man maybe a little older than her. He had sandy blonde hair that was short and spiky, a piercing above his eye which were colored a deep shade of blue and wore a white sleeveless shirt and black leather pants with way too many zippers. For some odd reason he reminded her of Spike from that Buffy show she liked.

"Who are you?" Paige demanded turning on him, fear flashing through her eyes.

"My names Mitchell, I saw you crying and was worried." Mitchell said showing his hands to show he wasn't trying to hurt her, "I don't want to hurt you but I'd like to help you."

"Why would you want to help someone like me?" Paige sniffed.

"Let's see, beautiful girl crying, looks like something is really wrong and me being the gentleman I am I had to come see what was wrong." Mitchell said smiling a little, "So wanna talk about it?"

"You're a complete stranger though." Paige said a little shocked.

"Sometimes a complete stranger can help more than someone who isn't. They could help give you a new perspective on your problems." Mitchell said, "And besides I'm not a total stranger, I told you my name didn't I? Might I ask the name of this beautiful young woman?"

"Paige." Paige whispered wondering what possessed her to answer this guy.

"What was that?" Mitchell asked softly.

"Paige…My name…It's Paige." Paige said tucking some hair behind her ear nervously.

"Well milady, shall we find a place to sit and discuss what is bothering such a beauty as you?" Mitchell asked offering his hand.

"I guess." Paige said nervously taking his hand wondering what she was doing. She wasn't like this normally but as she took his hand she felt a comforting warmth spread through her as she followed him.


	3. Chapter 3

Not so Charmed a Life

By Demoness Paige

Paige knew in her head that something was wrong with the whole Mitchell thing as she followed him through the park with neither one really saying much. He was making her feel all weird inside and it wasn't because she was attracted to him, it was something else. His presence alone had made her feel so much better and she felt like she shouldn't worry about that but her mind kept screaming he could be a warlock or demon that had the powers to manipulate her feelings.

"Why don't you sit and rest for a bit?" Mitchell asked indicating the swings which Paige thought would be a little childish. Looking around though she noticed how it was so eerily quiet, nobody else was around and there was no animals making noises or hanging around either.

"Maybe…" Paige said uncertainly as she let Mitchell lead her to one then let him help her sit in one. She watched him as he walked behind her and gasped when he gently pushed her, "What are you doing?"

"I'm pushing you silly." Mitchell said with a playful smile, "Aren't you enjoying it?"

Paige thought about it for a minute, when she was little she hardly ever had a chance to swing because many of the foster parents she stayed with demanded she get perfect grades saying they didn't want some stupid whore staying with them. After her one mother started beating her after failing two tests in a row Paige started spending a lot of her free time studying which helped for awhile.

Shaking those bad memories from her head she relaxed a little and realized how good it felt sitting in the swing as Mitchell gently pushed her. Allowing a small smile and a soft giggle she replied, "Actually…I am enjoying it."

"Good, a beautiful woman such as yourself should be happy…Not saddened like the state I found you in." Mitchell said, worry and honesty clearly filling his voice.

"I…I thought I finally had a family, people who loved me." Paige said after taking a deep breath, "Now I'm not so sure."

"Why would you say that?" Mitchell asked with concern.

"Because they hate me, they don't want me." Paige whispered, "I'm not even their real sister, just some half-breed."

"So you are their half-sister, that doesn't mean that they don't love you Paige." Mitchell said sounding confused, "How could anyone hate you?"

"People have hated me all my life, its nothing new." Paige sniffed. She felt Mitchell stop pushing her as he grabbed the chains and stopped the swing startling Paige a little. She jumped a little when his arm encircled her from behind as he buried his face in her hair.

"They were fools and it was their loss Paige, you are a remarkable young woman." Mitchell whispered in her hair, "I've only known you for a few minutes and already I think I'm falling for you."

Yeah right, translation was he wanted to use her and through her to the curb like everyone else in her life. She was so stupid for actually opening up to him a little, to start feeling something toward him. A part of her was actually starting to think that just maybe he would fill the hole in her heart that she had hoped her sisters would. Maybe if she was even lucky he would kill her after.

"Let's just get this over with." Paige sighed, her voice sounding dead even to herself.

"Get what over with?" Mitchell asked as she pulled out of his arms looking up into her eyes as the tears refused to stop falling from them.

"I know what you want with me…It's what all guys want. Just do it and leave me the hell alone." Paige cried.

"What are you…Ohhh…Paige, I'm not like most guys, far from it actually." Mitchell chuckled, "I'm as far from other guys as you are from other girls."

"What are you talking about?" Paige asked in shock, could he know that she was a witch? Could her first suspicions really be true? She felt so trapped as she fought to breathe as she started backing away but he was too fast and grabbed her hands.

"Paige, honey, calm down…Breath with me, okay?" Mitchell asked as Paige stared at him in shock, "In, out…In, out…"

"What are you?" Paige finally managed to ask shaking her head.

"Someone who cares about you, who doesn't want to see you hurt." Mitchell said as he pulled her into his arms and rubbed her back. She closed her eyes and felt a disorienting feeling making her to look up shakily noticing that they weren't at the park anymore but standing on her porch. "Please don't go back out tonight, it could be dangerous. I have to go for now but I hope to see you again."

"How?" Paige asked turning to look at the house as she backed away a little and gasped when she turned back to him to find him gone.

"Paige, where have you been?" Phoebe asked pulling the door open.

"What do you care?" Paige asked pushing her way past her sister.

"Happy birthday sweetie." Piper said coming out of the kitchen with flour on her face and clothes, her eyes red and puffy as if she had been crying. Looking closer at Phoebe she noticed it looked like she had been crying also. _Great, Leo must have told them everything._

"Shove it." Paige snarled as she stomped upstairs to her room and slammed the door, she wanted her sisters' love and not their pity. That was something that she realized she would never have.

oOoOo

Mitchell flamed into his throne room in the underworld intent on getting some rest but as soon as he appeared The Seer was right in front of him seething in anger.

"What the hell was that?" The Seer demanded glaring hatefully at Mitchell.

"What was what?" Mitchell asked as he watched the Seer grow angrier. "And are we forgetting who serves who here?"

"You have only been the Source for a short time, since those witches banished your predecessor." The Seer growled, "I have been around for centuries."

"Really now?" Mitchell sneered grabbing the Seer's throat and lifted her off the ground, "My plans for Paige have changed."

"We should have chosen Belthazar, at least he would have made a good Source." The Seer choked out as she clawed at Mitchell's hand trying to break free.

"I think that your services are no longer needed." Mitchell smirked sending power into the woman's body as she screamed in pain as fire consumed her vanquishing her.


	4. Chapter 4

Not so Charmed a Life

By Demoness Paige

Paige groggily made her way downstairs after a restless night of sleep. She barely managed to sleep at all thinking about the train wreck that was her life, about everyone in it who hated her very existence including her sisters. Thinking about all that had drove her to do something that she hadn't done in a long time, she cut her wrists debating if she should just end it all and be done with it.

The only thing that stopped her from going any farther than the cuts was the fact that while her sisters hated her she loved them. They were her only family left and she made the mistake of opening her heart to them and now no matter how much she wanted to close it she couldn't. Her sisters may have hated her but she still loved them which was what stopped her, she knew without the power of three her elder sisters would be easy targets for the whole demonic world.

As she neared the kitchen she heard sniffing and the smell of pancakes assault her senses. Her first reaction was to just turn the other way, she didn't want to be hurt again by her sisters not even caring if she ate. Then the crying noises grew a little louder which made up her mind to unfortunately see what was going on. Entering the kitchen she saw Paige frying pancakes though Phoebe wasn't there.

"Piper…Are you okay?" Paige asked tentatively.

"Hey Paige, pull up a chair and breakfast will be done shortly." Piper said wiping her eyes and trying to act like nothing was wrong.

"Piper, what's wrong? What happened?" Paige asked ignoring Piper's offer though she was surprised at it.

"Nothing, I just want to make my little sister a nice breakfast." Piper said giving a false smile.

"Don't worry I'll be gone by the time Phoebe comes down." Paige sighs sadly.

"Phoebe already left for work sweetie, these are for you." Piper said flipping the perfect cakes onto a plate.

"Piper…What's going on? What's wrong with you?" Paige asked a little more sternly, she didn't really appreciate Piper playing with her feelings this way but she was worried about her older sister.

"I screwed up Paige…My baby sister is hurting and it's all my fault." Piper said breaking out in fresh tears.

"Oh honey, I'm sure whatever happened with Phoebe will work out." Paige said honestly though a part of her hurt. Piper would never cry like this over her would she?

"Paige…I'm not talking about Phoebe…I'm talking about you." Piper cried, "I love you Paige and I'm so sorry for acting like I did. I'm sorry for forgetting your birthday, we were just so busy."

"Piper…Please don't…I know you wouldn't have forgotten Phoebe's or Leo's, you only forgot mine because I don't matter." Paige sniffed trying to hold back her own tears. "I never mattered to any of my foster families."

"Families…I thought the Matthews were your family…" Piper said a little shocked.

"For a couple of months, I grew up bouncing from one home to another." Paige sighed, "It doesn't matter though."

"Yes it does, I don't know hardly anything about my sister because I was too afraid to get close to her!" Piper sobbed shocking Paige. What did Piper mean that she was too afraid to get close?

"Piper…It doesn't matter…" Paige said softly, "I'm not leaving, I won't leave you two vulnerable like that so if this is some kind of mind game please…Please stop it."

"Sweetie, this isn't a mind game." Piper said turning the stove off and moving toward Paige, "If it was I wouldn't be hurting like this. When one of my sisters hurt I hurt, I love you both so much. Please…Please just give me a second chance…Give both of us another chance. Please."

"I…I don't want to be hurt again, Piper." Paige cried hugging herself, "I…I don't know if I can trust you…"

"Oh sweetie." Piper cried pulling Paige into a tight embrace even though she struggled a little, trying to pull away. "Honey, please give us a chance."

"I…I'm too scared to Piper…I…I don't think I can take any more of this pain." Paige cried.

"I won't hurt you again, Paige. I promise." Piper cried rubbing Paige's now still back.

"I…I need time to think about this Piper…" Paige whispered after almost what seemed like an eternity to the both of them.

"Come on sweetie, let me make you some fresh pancakes." Piper said leading Paige over to the table. "Here, sit and relax."

"Piper…I…I'll try but I want to do something." Paige said softly.

"What is it sweetie?" Piper asked as she poured batter onto the griddle.

"I saw in the Book of Shadows a truth spell." Paige said, "I…I want to cast it on the three of us."

"Paige…If…If it helps then I…I want you to do it." Piper said softly though the way she hesitated and flinched at the request worried Paige a little. Was she worrying that she might tell Paige that it was all a mind game? She hoped not because as much as she was hurting she knew that this was the easiest way to find out the truth.

"Piper…" Paige started as second thoughts started invading her mind, what if they really did say that they hated her?

"Paige, please don't…I want you to do this." Piper said flipping the cakes onto a new plate and bringing them, some sausage links and orange juice to set them down in front of Paige. "Here."

"What's this?" Paige asked taking the small gift wrapped box Piper pulled out of her apron.

"It's your birthday present from Leo and me." Piper said, "I…We really did buy it as soon as we found out about your birthday. Paige…We really did get to busy and forget but I'm not using that as an excuse…We should have never of forgotten."

"What is it?" Paige asked skeptically as she opened the box, carefully to find a set of keys.

"I've noticed how much trouble you had with your car before you moved in here and realized you probably didn't have enough to fix it." Piper said, "Those are the keys to your new car, it's a green Jeep Liberty that's parked out at the road."

"That's mine?" Paige asked shocked. That Jeep was sitting out there for almost as long as she lived here and any questions about it always brought the same response that it must have been broke down or something. Was…Was Piper really telling the truth?


End file.
